Oceanic controller concerned with 3+ hour equipment outage. This equipment is utilized in conjunctio...

Attributes
ACN	390450
Time
Date	199801
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	390450
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon my arrival into work at XA30 local, I was directed to work oceanic position OC9. I noticed the interim situation display (isd) was inoperative. Both the main and auxiliary display were flashing, 'not updating display.' at the time of this writing (approximately 3 hours later), the display was still not operating. This is a recurring unsatisfactory condition which may cause/contribute to an incident/accident. As background information, several yrs ago a facility order was put into effect which requires oceanic controllers at ZOA to look at the situation display prior to the issuance of an ATC clearance. This stemmed from an operational error involving two opposite direction aircraft at the same altitude. This safety check cannot be accomplished during an isd outage.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OCEANIC CTLR CONCERNED WITH 3+ HR EQUIP OUTAGE. THIS EQUIP IS UTILIZED IN CONJUNCTION WITH STANDARD AIR TFC, MANUAL CTL PROCS. HE STATES THAT EXTENDED EQUIP OUTAGE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO AN ACCIDENT INCIDENT.

Narrative: UPON MY ARR INTO WORK AT XA30 LCL, I WAS DIRECTED TO WORK OCEANIC POS OC9. I NOTICED THE INTERIM SIT DISPLAY (ISD) WAS INOP. BOTH THE MAIN AND AUX DISPLAY WERE FLASHING, 'NOT UPDATING DISPLAY.' AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING (APPROX 3 HRS LATER), THE DISPLAY WAS STILL NOT OPERATING. THIS IS A RECURRING UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION WHICH MAY CAUSE/CONTRIBUTE TO AN INCIDENT/ACCIDENT. AS BACKGROUND INFO, SEVERAL YRS AGO A FACILITY ORDER WAS PUT INTO EFFECT WHICH REQUIRES OCEANIC CTLRS AT ZOA TO LOOK AT THE SIT DISPLAY PRIOR TO THE ISSUANCE OF AN ATC CLRNC. THIS STEMMED FROM AN OPERROR INVOLVING TWO OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT AT THE SAME ALT. THIS SAFETY CHK CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED DURING AN ISD OUTAGE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Oceanic controller concerned with 3+ hour equipment outage. This equipment is utilized in conjunction with standard air traffic, manual control procedures. He states that extended equipment outage could contribute to an accident incident.